It hasn't yielded much in the way of results yet, but the Detroit Lions are spending big in their quest to bring a winner to Ford Field.

The Lions spent more than $204 million on player salaries last season, the most in the NFL, according to the NFL Players Association, and some 22 percent more than the $167 million salary cap.

The Lions' cash outlay was bolstered by two big free-agent signings — offensive lineman Rick Wagner and T.J. Lang got a combined $22.5 million in signing bonuses — and by giving the richest contract in NFL history to quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Stafford's deal, which has since been eclipsed by the extension signed by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, included a $50 million signing bonus, though payment of $16.5 million of it was deferred until earlier this month.